Cladding has been removed from five high rise blocks in Sunderland in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire in London.

Housing association Gentoo has said the move is a precautionary measure following fire safety tests carried out by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG).

On Saturday, Gentoo staff were spotted pulling cladding from a tower block on Church Street North.

Here’s everything we know so far.

Tower blocks around the country have failed fire safety tests

Government investigations have revealed that 15 local authorities across the UK have high rise buildings covered in combustible cladding.

Blocks are being safety tested in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire.

Workmen remove exterior panels from blocks of flats in Church Street North in Sunderland

In total, 27 high-rise blocks have failed safety tests across the country so far.

None of the places announced so far are in the North East but the Department for Communities and Local Government is expected to reveal more information on Saturday afternoon.

Cladding removed from Sunderland tower blocks

On Saturday, staff from housing association Gentoo were spotted pulling cladding from a tower block on Church Street North.

Gentoo released a statement saying it had been advised by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) to submit samples of some cladding panels to the Building Research Establishment (BRE) for testing.

CEO John Craggs said that as a result of the tests a decision had been made to remove “a very small amount of decorative panels from five high rise blocks in the St Peter’s area of the city”.

Workmen remove exterior panels from blocks of flats in Church Street North in Sunderland

The panels from the five towers affected - Church, Dock, Zetland, Victor and Dame Dorothy - will all be removed on Saturday.

The cladding being removed is not the same as the material used at Grenfell Tower

Mr Craggs reiterated that none of the high rise blocks in Gentoo’s ownership have the same cladding and insulation as appears to be the case at Grenfell Tower.

But the Chronicle understands that it similar enough to the Reynobond ACM PE used at Grenfell to warrant the precautionary measure.